Sold Prescription Medications out of Their Shops, Although They Were Not Licensed As Pharmacies
Seven people were arrested and charged with illegally selling prescription medications out of their stores, which were not licensed as pharmacies.
On September 25, members of the Suffolk County Police Department assigned to the District Attorney’s Office executed search warrants at four Claros Variedades locations in Brentwood and Huntington Station. During those searches, police allegedly discovered tramadol and other prescription medications from all four store locations. Tramadol is a prescription opioid analgesic that is most commonly abused by narcotic addicts, chronic pain patients, and health professionals.
None of the store locations were licensed as pharmacies, nor were they authorized to dispense prescription medications. Claros Variedades is a family-owned business owned by the Claros family which operates a total of four stores in Suffolk County.
The following are the locations where the search warrants took place:
- Claros Variedades – 16 First Avenue in Brentwood
- Claros Multiservicios – 556C Suffolk Avenue in Brentwood
- Claros Variedades 3 – 1911 New York Avenue in Huntington Station
- Claros Variedades IV – 1221 Suffolk Avenue in Brentwood
Six employees — Roxana Ramos Argueta, 35, of Brentwood; Xenia Miranda Rodriguez, 24, of Brentwood; Kevin Claros, 29, of Brentwood; Idencis Chavez-Games, 22, of Huntington Station; Griselda Rivera, 45, of Brentwood; and Teresa Ramos Claros, 64, of Brentwood — were charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, a Class D felony. Yesica Claros Ramos, 39, of Bay Shore, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, both Class D felonies.
On September 26, District Court Judge Bernard Cheng ordered the defendants released without bail because the charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot request, and judges cannot set, bail.
Chaves-Games is die back in court on October 16. The others are due back on October 17.
“What this investigation alleges is troubling in many aspects, as these stores have never been licensed, nor allowed to operate as pharmacies,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Dispensing antibiotics without prescription and selling the Schedule IV controlled substances, like tramadol, over-the-counter without medical authorization is not only against the law, but also dangerous.”